New Australian Children’s Laureate Announced

DUDE! I was super excited to get an embargoed Media Release late last week regarding this announcement and while I am by now well and truly used to dealing with embargoed information, this announcement is especially cool!

I GIVE YOU…

The Australian Children’s Laureate for 2018-2019 is award-winning author Morris Gleitzman.

I have been quietly and politely stalking Mr Morris Gleitzman for a few years now and have been privileged to have heard him speak a number of times…he is engaging, personable and a passionate advocate for all things children’s literature. I highly recommend you follow The Australian Children’s Literature Alliance on all of their social media channels so you are kept up to date with the many laureateship events which will be occurring over his term.

The Australian Children’s Literature Alliance was founded in 2008. the Laureateship is bestowed every two years on an outstanding writer or illustrator of children’s books. Its role is to promote the importance and transformational power of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians. Morris Gleitzman will succeed Leigh Hobbs (2016-2017) and previous Laureates Alison Lester, Boori Monty Pryor and Jackie French.

Says Morris “As Laureate, I’ll champion stories and everything stories can offer. I aim to be a kind of ambassador for young readers, and for the community of people who write for them. An emissary from the place where young imaginations draw strength from stories and grow and engage and become our best hope for the future.”

Ron Gorman, Chair ACLA says “We were delighted when Morris accepted the role of Children’s Laureate for 2018/19. His impressive body of work is well known by Australians, young and old, who will no doubt celebrate his Laureateship. Increasingly, the research is showing us that reading changes lives – Morris will be a persuasive voice in bringing Australians to value reading and children’s literature.”

The theme for Morris Gleitzman’s two-year term as Australian Children’s Laureate will be ‘Stories Make Us – Stories Create Our Future’.

“Young people need stories more than ever,” Gleitzman says. “Stories to delight, stories to beguile, stories to inspire, stories to move deeply. And through these experiences, stories that equip young readers to embrace an often dark and uncertain world with optimism, resolve and creativity.”

For more than thirty years Morris Gleitzman has been writing books for young people that explore a range of subjects, sometimes serious, sometimes funny and sometimes confronting, but always in unexpected ways. His titles include Two Weeks With the Queen, Boy Overboard, Bumface, Toad Rage and the acclaimed ‘Felix’ series which includes Soon, winner of the CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers. His books are published in more than 20 countries. In Australia they are published by Penguin Random House.

The titles of each book takes you to the Australian based online bookstore Booktopia.You can also compare prices on Fishpond and Bookworld for Australian purchases.If you live in the US or would prefer to use Amazon click here. If you live in the UK or would prefer to use Book Depository click here. Purchases clicked through from the Children’s Books Daily site result in a small commission. Commission is used in part to maintain Children’s Books Daily and to support community groups which connect children with books.

1 COMMENT

I’m absolutely thrilled with the appointment of Morris Gleitzman to the role of Australian Children’s Laureate for the next two years. We (at Prince of Peace Lutheran College) are BIG fans of his books…especially the Felix Series.

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What will I read next? It’s probably the question I am most often asked as a teacher librarian and children’s book blogger. Ask no more, I've compiled the ultimate list of my favourite books in various age ranges from the past few years. All yours to grab!